US President Donald Trump has denied instructing Vice President JD Vance to open a negotiating channel with Iran to resume talks, insisting that recent communications concerned the possibility of providing humanitarian and medical assistance to Tehran, amid growing warnings of a potential renewed military confrontation.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, Trump said Iranians needed medicine and other forms of assistance. He explained that Vance had asked whether he could handle the matter, adding that he had no objection, as the aim was to deliver essential supplies to help patients.
Trump’s remarks came in response to reports that Vance had sent a message to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as part of efforts to explore the possibility of reaching an understanding between Washington and Tehran.
According to those reports, the message was sent at Trump’s direction to determine whether common ground existed between the two sides that could help restart negotiations and avert orders for new military operations against Iran. The message reportedly did not contain specific peace proposals.
Military Preparations Continue Amid Stalled Diplomacy
Meanwhile, US and Israeli media reports said Washington and Tel Aviv had drawn up plans for a new military operation against Iran, potentially to be carried out if diplomatic efforts fail. Some assessments have linked the possible timing of any action to the period following the US midterm elections scheduled for November.
Other reports indicated that Tehran was preparing for the possibility of further US strikes and could respond with retaliatory operations in various parts of the Middle East, including Israel and the United Arab Emirates. These scenarios have not been independently confirmed.
Trump had previously hinted at the possibility of launching additional attacks as tensions continued and calls grew for Washington to adopt a tougher stance toward Iran.
Iran Maintains Diplomatic Efforts While Emphasizing Military Readiness
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would continue engaging with mediators to give diplomacy a chance, while stressing that Iran’s armed forces were prepared to respond to any developments.
As part of regional diplomatic efforts, Tehran hosted talks on Monday, October 26, with officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, aiming to reduce tensions and establish channels for negotiations.
Efforts are also continuing to develop regional initiatives to prevent a new escalation. Proposals under discussion include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting sanctions on Iran, and addressing other regional issues, including the situation in Yemen.
These developments highlight the continuing divide between efforts to contain the crisis and threats of military escalation, with no clear agreement announced so far to guarantee the resumption of negotiations or prevent a renewed confrontation.
